title: [The health-care situation in outpatient psychiatry--results of a survey among members of the Germany Association of Psychotherapists (DPtV)].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mental-health problems are of increasing importance in the German population. Nonetheless there is a lack of data concerning outpatient psychotherapeutic care, especially with a focus on psychotherapy sessions approved by social health insurances and performed by psychological psychotherapists and paediatric psychotherapists.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study presents the results of a survey among all members of the German Association of Psychotherapists (DPtV) and is based on questionnaires filled in by 2,497 psychotherapists (return rate 33.3%). The assessment is based on the therapists' data without an external validation. Main topics of the survey were characteristics of the supply of psychotherapeutic care, therapeutic time contingents per patient and their utilisation and demographic and socio-economic features of patients. Evaluating the survey, the results were analysed overall and by groups of therapists varying in demographic features, professional qualifications and regional criteria, using bivariate as well as multivariate methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study provides evidence indicating an underprovision of outpatient psychotherapeutic care. Psychotherapists who use a waiting list reported average waiting times of more than 2.5 months. Additionally there are differences in psychotherapeutic care between various patient groups. In regions with lower population density we found less provision of psychotherapeutic care compared to regions with higher population density. Taking into account epidemiological data, the study indicates that the participation of men, persons of older age and patients with lower levels of education in psychotherapeutic care is below average.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest a considerable degree of underprovision and inadequate provision of outpatient psychotherapeutic care. With regard to special population groups, further research is necessary to identify utilisation barriers towards psychotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Medizinmanagement, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walendzik
authors.affiliation: Deutsche PsychotherapeutenVereinigung, Berlin.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rabe-Menssen
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Medizinmanagement, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lux
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Medizinmanagement, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wasem
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Medizinmanagement, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jahn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014600:Utilization Review; D055815:Young Adult